The oral cavity and upper airways are major entry points for bacteria and other microorganisms. The oral cavity hosts over 700 species of bacteria that do not cause disease in otherwise healthy individuals. In immunocompromised individuals, however, otherwise harmless bacteria can cause serious infections. As an example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an environmental bacterium that does not typically cause disease in healthy individuals. It is, however, the leading cause of death in cystic fibrosis patients, causes nocosomial infections that are fatal in up to 50% of cases, and causes serious infections in other immunocompromised patients, including cancer and burn patients. Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans is an oral Gram-negative coccobacillus that is associated with periodontal disease, in particular Localized Aggressive Periodontitis, but is also found in healthy individuals. The factors that allow these opportunistic pathogens to cause disease in some, but not all, infected individuals are poorly understood but it is likely that deficiencies in both innate and acquired immunity are behind increased susceptibility to these bacteria.
Biofilms are a significant problem in health care in public health areas. Bacteria in biofilms are very difficult to eradicate and cause substantial mortality due to resistance to antibiotics. Medical device that enter the body are typical areas for bacterial biofilm formation.
Currently, there is a need for compositions and methods of treating infections associated with biofilm-producing bacteria, and for preventing the attachment of bacteria to medical devices.